A Way Out
by munchkinmere
Summary: What would life without Ana, Teddy, and Phoebe be like? Christian Grey is about to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**As promised, here is the re-written version of A Way Out. For those of you who did not know, A Way Out was my first story. I wrote five chapters and decided that while the plot was good, the story was missing very important details to move it along. I have rewritten it, and now, I know exactly what direction I want to go with this story.**

**Never fret; there will still be a very happy ending!**

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><p><em>December 2019 <em>

I carefully open the door to our master bedroom, hoping I won't disturb Ana. I glance at the clock on the bed side table, and silently curse myself. It's 3:30 A.M. Ana is not going to like the fact that I am just getting home now, especially when I have to leave again in less than three hours.

"Christian?" She stirs when I climb into bed, "Late. Time?"

"Shh, baby go back to sleep," I whisper as I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer to me. Her back is to my front allowing me to inhale the delicious scent of her hair.

"Mmm, I love…" She drifts off mumbling something about loving me more than she loves ice cream which makes me chuckle.

I fall asleep immediately, but less than five minutes later, we hear Teddy's ear splitting scream. Without a second thought, Ana and I bolt out of bed and sprint to his room. Ana bursts open the door as I turn on the light. Teddy is sitting up in bed, shaking with tears in his eyes.

I walk over and Teddy reaches out for me. I wrap my arms around him and sit down on his bed. "What's wrong, buddy?" I kiss his head repeatedly as Ana rubs his back.

When he can't answer, I look over to Ana. "Elliot thought it would be a good idea show Teddy that movie called _Sinister_."

"Are you fucking serious?" Ana gives me a look for swearing, but I could care less. I'm exhausted, and now my kid can't sleep because my idiot brother showed him a scary movie. "When was Teddy even with Elliot?"

"Today," Ana says as she continues to rub Teddy's back. "Teddy wanted someone to play pirates with so I called Elliot over."

"Daddy, don't let the scary face take me," Teddy hiccups into my chest, and his eyes start to well up again. "I don't want to be bad."

"Oh, Teddy bear, daddy will never let anything bad happen to you," I hold him tighter and begin to rock back and forth. "Close your eyes and try to fall asleep, buddy. I'll be right here."

After a few minutes, I feel his body go slack, and I look down to see him asleep again. Ana turns down his covers and I carefully place him back in his bed, then we both tuck him in. After a few more kisses on his precious head, Ana and I tip toe out of his room and turn off the lights.

Back in our bed, I pull Ana close to me and shut my burning eyes. After a few moments, I feel her turning around so that her face is in my chest. Then, Ana starts kissing my neck as her hand drifts down my chest, my stomach, and finally reach its destination. Her hand reaches into my pants and grabs a hold my now very hard member.

"Baby…" She starts pumping up and down, and shit if that doesn't feel good. "Stop…please."

Ana continues to pump while nipping at my ear and my neck as she whispers, "I need you."

It takes everything in me to remove her hand. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to get on top of her right now and fuck until I had to go to work. Because of everything at GEH and the kids, Ana and I haven't been intimate for weeks now. Well technically 4 days and 7 hours, but who's counting?

"Please, Christian. It's been so long." Her hands are back exploring my body.

I kiss her so deeply that when I pull away, I see stars. "Trust me, I feel it too, baby. But I really need to sleep. I promise, tomorrow, I will be all yours." The thought of having Ana all to myself after a long, exhausting week excites me to no end.

She huffs before turning around. As I wrap my arms around her again, she scoots her butt closer and closer to my crotch and subconsciously grinds on it. After about an hour, she finally stops her shimmying, but it takes me another 20 mins to fall asleep with my raging hard on.

Damn, tomorrow needs to get here fast.

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><p>The next day is, yet again, a shit storm. It seems that everyone I have hired has the IQ of a peanut. And of course, their failed efforts fall on my shoulders.<p>

"What do you mean Franklin lost the files?" I yell angrily into my phone. "I better have those files on my desk in one hour or your entire department can kiss your jobs goodbye. Do I make myself clear?" I hang up the phone and am tempted to hurl it out the window.

Just then, the door opens and a pregnant Andrea comes wobbling in. "This better be important, Andrea. I don't have time for more horse shit from these morons." I tell her as I sit down and begin to rub my temples.

"Mr. Grey, sir, Ana is on line one," Andrea says holding files in one hand and rubbing her pregnant belly with the other, "She said she tried calling your cell three times, but you never answered."

"Thank you, Andrea." She exits the room and I pick up the phone, "Hello?"

"Hi, baby!" The sweet sound of my wife's voice calms every stressed out bone in my body. I swear there is something magical about that woman. "Just checking in! How's your day going?"

"Fucking awful," I run my hand through my hair and let out a long sigh. "Everyone is a dumbass and I don't know how late I'll have to stay to fix their careless mistakes."

"Christian, don't tell me you forgot about Phoebe's dance recital tonight."

"Shit," I swear under my breath. Ana can't find out that I did forget because she would be so pissed. "Of course not, babe! I'm just messing with you, I will most definitely be there!"

Ana seems to buy into my lie because she lets out one of her wonderful little giggles. "Good. I'll be picking up her flowers from the florist, so could you pick up her bear, please?"

Ana called the Build-a-Bear Workshop to have a ballerina bear made just for Phoebe. The bear has white fur and is decorated with a sparkly pink tutu and a princess crown. One paw has a voice recording of Ana and I saying how proud we are of her and the other paw has her recital song 'Ballerina Girl'.

"Will do, love!"

"Perfect!" Ana squeals with delight, "I will see you soon! Goodbye, I love you, Mr. Grey." She makes a kissy noise through the phone that makes me chuckle.

"I love you more, Mrs. Grey."

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><p>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It's 9:15, and I am just getting into the car. There are over 64 missed calls and text messages from Ana, my parents, and Elliot, and I am well aware I will have my balls chopped off the moment I get home.<p>

We were in the middle of acquiring one of the biggest communications companies in the United States, but in the middle of negotiations, the company found a misprint in the details of the contract, and wanted to back out. To not lose the deal, I had to personally talk to the head of the company for 3 hours and persuade him that he was making the right choice. Then, once he reconsidered, I personally fired 15 incompetent employees for not making this deal right. To top it all off, there was a security breach in our New York office, so I had to wait for the all clear from the NYPD before leaving the Seattle office.

Taylor pulls up the drive way and I don't wait for the car to stop before hopping out. I am met with my mom, dad, Elliot, Kate, their girls, Ava and Ashlee, Mia, Ethan, and their baby, Carter, laughing as they come out of our house. Ana is standing at the door waving goodbye to them.

My mom is the first to spot me, "Christian! Where have you been and why have you not answered your phone?!"

All sets of eyes turn and look at me. All of them have the same look that says 'You are so fucked.'

"Sorry, mom. Work stuff," I try to wave it off like it's no big deal, but it is a very very big deal and everyone knows that.

My dad clears his throat, "Well it's getting late. We should all get going. See you later, son." He gives me a quick hug, followed by my mom, and then the rest of my family. I don't blame them for wanting to get out of there as fast as they can.

Ana is still at the door waving good bye to them, but as soon as they all drive off, she glares at me then slams the door. I sigh and slowly make my way inside.

I find her in the kitchen cleaning up the wine glasses from the island. Gail is in there too, but she excuses herself as soon as she sees me, obviously not wanting to witness how much trouble I'm going to be in.

"Ana—" She holds her hand up to stop me.

"What the motherfucking flying fuck, Christian Trevelyan Grey?!" Ana says barely above a whisper that seems like she is calm, but when I look into her eyes, I see nothing but rage.

I somehow seem to find my voice. "Ana, I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! The deal with the communications company was falling through and there was a security breach in New York and everything was just so frustrating! I know that's an awful excuse, but I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart."

"You're right," She says, "It's an awful excuse."

"I know," I reach out to touch her, but she moves away. Ok, that hurt. "I'm so sorry."

Ana puts her head down and stares at her hands. She starts playing with her rings, and I would be lying if that didn't make me nervous.

"Phoebe waited for you...all night," Ana's voice is laced with anger, but more so, sadness. "She finally passed out after crying herself to sleep."

I feel the tears forming in my eyes as I take Ana into my arms. She tries pushing me away, but I only tighten my grip around her. "Ana…" I don't even know what to say.

No matter how hard I try, Ana moves her head every time I try to kiss her and she refuses to hug me back, and instead, keeps her hands at her sides. "I'm assuming you forgot her bear too?"

FUCK! How could I forget that? When I don't answer, this sets her off.

"You had two things to do tonight, Christian Grey. Two fucking things. Get the bear. Go to the recital. And did you do any of those? No! Because you're too caught up in that fucking job of yours."

Even though I deserve it, Ana yelling at my still pisses me off. "You know what, Anastasia? No. I did not have just two fucking things to do! I had to run my entire company BY MYSELF because no one knows how to do their job right, and I had to do all of that with only two hours of sleep because Teddy couldn't sleep since you had the brilliant idea of letting Elliot over. Then, you got pissed because I said no to sex so you teased me all night with your ass, and don't try to deny it, Ana! No one shakes their ass that much in their sleep! And yeah, I missed Phoebe's recital tonight, but I was caught up in some pretty serious shit. You need to stop being so damn inconsiderate and realize I don't just sit around all day and bark orders. I work! I work so that we can all have this cushy life we all enjoy! If you can't see that then you're selfish and insensitive!"

The next thing I know, everything turns black.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? (:<strong>

**P.S. Should the rating on this stay T? I read the guidelines and it says that stories rated T should not contain adult content, but this will. Not like in full detail, but it will just like it did in this chapter. Please let me know, this is still all new to me! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi friends! Thank you all so much for your encouragement; your support means the world to me! **

**Also, I decided to keep the rating at T because I don't actually know how to write smut, but I promise next time it gets a little steamy, I'll have a warning!**

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><p>I wake up with a jolt.<p>

"Hi, Christian" I look up and see a young girl standing in front of me. She has light brown hair, light brown eyes, is clothed in white, and somehow seems to be glowing.

"Who are you?! Where am I?!" I look around frantically to realize I am in my office, which is strange because I clearly remember being in the kitchen yelling at Ana.

The young girl smiles sweetly at me. "My name is Lux. And this, Christian Grey, is a glimpse."

"A what?!" I try to catch my breath, but for some reason, my heart feels like it's going to explode out of my chest. Lux, as she calls herself, walks over and hands me a glass of water. I take a sip and thank her.

"May I sit?" Lux asks and I nod as she sits down in the chair in front of me, "A glimpse is a different version of your life; more of a look of how your life would have been. Where you would have been if little the things changed; if you made different mistakes; turned left instead of right; said yes instead of no..."

I give her a look to tell her I think she's crazy. Luz laughs and nods her head to say yes this is all real. "Ok, if this is all true, then how'd I get to this so called glimpse?"

"Remember when you were yelling at your wife, Ana, just a minute ago?" I nod my head, already feeling guilty for yelling at my baby. "Well someone upstairs was listening and decided it was time for your do-over."

"So you're saying, I could re-do today and not be late for Phoebe's recital so Ana and I don't get into the argument?" I ask.

"Not exactly," Lux shakes her head, "A glimpse—" Just then, I hear a knock at the door and Andrea peaks her head inside to tell me my next meeting is here. I tell her to send them into conference room 3 then stand to say goodbye to Lux.

Lux tries to tell me something about how many details of my life are dramatically different, but I honestly am not paying attention to her. I just want to get rid of her because she seems a little coo-coo. The only logical explanation is that Ana stomped off after I yelled at her then I drank my weight in whiskey before passing. Then, I woke up early, went to work, and took a nap in the middle of reading documents because I am exhausted.

The meeting was bland as always. Some guys were trying to sell us a motor that ran on milk. Not only was it a ridiculous idea, but the two men were unprepared that 10 minutes into their presentation, I just wanted to take another nap. The meeting finishes and I go back to my office to answer my emails.

As I answer them, I can't help but notice there isn't one from Ana, but she's probably still really pissed off at me. Maybe I was a little too hard on her? I mean, I am the one working long hours and I am the one who missed Phoebe's recital. I sigh and decide it's time for a change. Ana may still be pissed off at me, but I need to fix it.

I call Andrea in and she comes running in, tablet in hand. "Yes, Mr. Grey?"

"Andrea, cancel all my meetings for the next two weeks," I get up and start packing my brief case. "As of right now, I am on temporary leave of office. Unless Grey House is in serious danger, I don't want any calls. Anything that has to do with business, either you or Ros handle it."

"Uhm, may I ask where you're going, Mr. Grey?" Andrea has a look of utter confusion. I stare at her and something seems off.

"I am going to spend some time with Ana and the kids," I say putting on my coat and scarf. Saying that makes me feel all happy inside. "Don't worry, I will make sure Luke gets these two weeks off as well."

"Who, Sir?"

I turn around and as I am about to answer, I take a good look at Andrea. That's when I discover what is off. "Andrea, what happened to your baby bump?"

"Uhm," Andrea looks at me like I am crazy. "I was never pregnant, Mr. Grey."

Never pregnant?! What happened to Luke and the baby bump she had less than 24 hours ago? I ask her to leave me for now and she exits the room with a questioning look on her face.

I quickly pull out my phone and try to call Ana, but for some odd reason, I can't find her number. I start to panic and decide to call Taylor instead. "Taylor, my office. Now." _Breathe, Grey. The lack of sleep is probably getting to you._

Within seconds, Taylor comes into my office. "Is everything alright, Mr. Grey?"

Mr. Grey? Taylor hasn't called me Mr. Grey since Teddy was born. Since then, it's been Christian. What the fuck is going on here?! "Taylor, get Ana or Sawyer on the phone. I need to speak with them." I run my hands through my hair and start pacing room.

When Taylor doesn't act, I freak out. "Taylor, get my wife on the phone now! That's an order!"

Taylor gives me the same look Andrea gave me a few minutes ago. He clears his throat and says, "I was not aware you were married, Mr. Grey. Congratulations?"

I spin around to face him. "If this is some kind of sick joke you and Sawyer are trying to pull, cut it out. It's not funny."

"Mr. Grey, if I may ask, who is Sawyer?" Ok. There's no Ana. No Sawyer. No baby. This can't be right.

I run to my desk to check if the pictures of our wedding, our children, and our family are there, but all I find is a desk filled with papers. I browse through my call log and Ana's name never shows up. I look through my pictures and can't find any pictures of Teddy playing with his trains or of Phoebe playing dress up. Finally, I check my left hand and my wedding band that signified my unity with the most wonderful woman in the world, is missing.

Suddenly all the blood rushes to my head, making me feel lightheaded and nauseous. "No. It's not possible." I plop into my chair and bury my head in my hands.

"Mr. Grey?" Taylor asks with concern. He moves closer to me but I hold up my hand to stop him.

"Please, Taylor. Just give me a moment." Taylor leaves my office without a word.

As the door shuts, I see Lux standing by the window. I walk over and pound my fist into the glass in front of her, but luckily it doesn't shatter. "Fix this. Now." I demand.

Lux turns to me with a sympathetic smile on her face. "I really wish I could, Christian. But this isn't my glimpse, it's yours."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS A GLIMPSE?!" I throw my hands up in the air, exasperated.

"Like I tried to explain before," Lux clears her throat, "A glimpse is how your life would be if you made different decisions. In yours, you never pursued Ana; therefore, you never married her and you never had Theodore and Phoebe."

"Wait. If I was never with Ana, then Luke and Andrea…" I trail off realizing the mess I have caused.

"As well as Elliot and Kate and Mia and Ethan," I look at her with pure shock and fear. I never realized how many lives my relationship with Ana impacted.

"Well how do I fix this?" I ask, desperate for a solution. There is no way I could survive without Ana and our family.

"Only you know the answer to that."

"Stop talking in these stupid riddles and just tell me what to do!" I run a hand through my hair, ready to pull it out.

Lux laughs, "I wish I could, Christian, but that's not my role. I can only guide you through a glimpse, not actually help you change it."

I stand stunned by all the information. I never fell in love with Ana. I never married her. I never became a father. Suddenly, all the words I spat at Ana about her being selfish come rushing back at me, and I fall to my knees crying. I realize that I am the selfish one. I am selfish for choosing my job instead of her and our family…and now, living a life without them is my punishment.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? (:<strong>


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